Plug-socket for electric lamps, &amp;c.



No. 835,258. PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

F. J. RUSSELL. PLUG SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS, &o. APPLICATION FILED FEB,23.1906.

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' PATBNTBD Nov. 6, 1906. F. J. RUSSELL.

ELUG SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS, &o. APPLIGATION FILED BBB. 23.1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. l6, 1906.

Application filed February 23, 1906. Serial No. 302,389.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of- New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plug Sockets for Electric Lamps, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to sockets for the reception of electric plugs for establishing electrical connection with circuit-wires, as for the reception and support of incandescent-lamp plugs, extension-circuit plugs, and the like, and are designed to afford a simple and comparatively inexpensive structure in which the several parts are held rigidly together by a single screw or bolt through the medium of an interlocking washer of insulating material which engages positively with both the base and the shell-terminal in such manner as to prevent axial or lateral movement byor between the parts, in which better electrical connection between the shell-terminal and its binding-post is attained by making the said binding-post integral with the shellterminal, and in which the opposed potentials are eectually and positively separated by a relatively thick barrier of suitable insulating material.

The invention consists, essentially, in the construction, combination, and arrangement o`f parts hereinafter described and claimed specifically, the distinguishing feature being the interlocking and coupling of the parts together rigidly upon the base by means of the insulating-washer interposed between the shell-terminal and the central terminal.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front or top elevation of my improved socket; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse section upon plane of line 3 3, Fig. 1 Fig. 4, a transverse section upon plane of line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the face of the base-piece g Fig. 6, an elevation of the rear side of the same; Fig. 7, an elevation of the outer surface of the washer used in the preceding figures Fig. 8, a rear view of the same Fig. 9, an edge view of the same, and Fig. 10 a section upon plane of line 10 10, Fig. 7. Fig. 11 is a face view of a modied form of base; Figs. 12 and 13,trans verse sections at right angles to each other of the socket as adapted to said modified base, Figs. 14 and 15, respectively views of the under side and an edge view of the washer used with the base shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 16 is a detail of the shell-terminal, and 17 a top view, and Fig. 18 a bottom view, of said'shellterminal; Fig. 19, an elevation of the socket, showing the opening in the shell. Fig. 20 is a transverse section showing another modification, the base-piece of which is shown in Fig. 21 and the washer in detail in Figs. 22 and 23. Fig. 24 is a transverse section of still another modification, the base of which is shown in Fig. 25 and the washer in detailV in Figs. 26 and 27. Figs. 28, 29, and 30 are transverse sections illustrating still other modifications in which the male or projecting interlocking part is formed on the base instead of on the washer. Figs.` 31, 32, 33, and 34 are respectively a side elevation and face views of extension-bases adapted for use in connection with my interlocking insulatingwasher. Fig. 35 is a detail of the independent binding-post.

My improved socket consists, essentially, of'iive main parts-namely, the base B, insulating-washer W, shell-terminal S, sep arate binding-post P, and central screw yor bolt a, by which the several parts are bound together. Of these it is to be understood that the metallic plug-holder or shell-terminal S may be of the screw, spring-j aw, or any other form, according to the manufacture `of plug or lamp to be accommodated, that shown in the drawings by way of illustration being what is known commercially as an Edison screwplug shell-terminal.

The base B is made of porcelain or other suitable insulating material, with the usual screw holes or recesses I) b for engagement with the screws by which it is secured in position upon the desired support. It is also formed with the central recess b on its rear side, having the lateral openings b2 b2 eX- tending through the front of the base in opposite sides thereof for the accommodation of the ends of circuit-wires. formed with the central perforation b3 for the reception of the shank of the screw a, by which the parts are secured rigidly together, as hereinafter described.

A distinguishing feature of the base B is that its face f is formed with one or more shoulders f which engage and interlock with coinciding shoulders w on the insulatingwasher W, and it is obvious that these interlocking shoulders may be coinciding projections and depressions on lor in the opposed surfaces of the said parts-namely, theface The base is also- IOO IIO

f of the base B and the under or inner side of the washer W. Thus the male part is shown in most of the figures of the drawings as projecting from the under side of the washer I/V and into the depression or opening in the face f of the base B, although this is not essential, since, as illustrated in Figs. 28, 29, and 30, the male part may be formed on the face f of the base B and engage with a shoulder or shoulders which do not extend beyond the rear or under surface of said washer, the results being essentially the saine in so far as the interlocking of the parts against lateral or axial movement is concerned. I prefer, however, ordinarilyT in order to afford a relatively thick and strong insulating-washer to form the male part upon the face f of the base B. Thus in Figs. 2, 3, 4, S, 9, 31, and 32 the washer W is formed with projecting shoulders w w, extending entirely across its under or inner surface, said male shoulders engaging with the shoulders f', countersunk in the face f of the base B, while in Fig. 28 correspondinglyformed shoulders f project upward lfrom the face f of the base and fit between the shouldersv w w, countersunk in the under or rear side 'of the washer W.

In Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 the male shoulders w are constituted by the sides of a rectangular projection upon the under or inner face of the washer, said -shoulders engaging with the female shoulders f forming the side walls of a rectangular depression (see Fig. 11) formed in the face f of the base B, while in the alternative form the rectangular projection or male part is formed on the face f of the base and its shoulders f engage with female shoulders countersunk in the under side or inner side of the washer W, the parts shown in cross-section, as in Fig. 28, except that in that case the engaging shoulders are wider apart than the sides of the rectangular proj ectionabove referred to. Again, in Figs. 20, 21, 22, 23, 33, and 34 a male shoulder fw is formed by a peripheral lip or projection on the under or inner side of the washer W, engages simply with a depressed shoulder f, formed by the opposed edge of one of the openings b2 in the face of the base B, whereas in Fig. 30 the reverse arrangement is shown. The male shoulder f is formed on a like lip or projection on the face f of the base B, engaging a female shoulder w, formed in thev inner or under face of the washer. 4

In the construction shown in Figs. 24, 25,

26, and 27 the female shoulders f are formed bythe sides of an inclined groove or depression in the face f of the base for the reception of a correspondingly-shaped male part or projection on the inner or under side of the washer W, the sides of said projection constituting shoulders 'w for engagement with the .shoulders f in the base.- The alternative form of this construction is shown in Fig. 29, in which thel inclined depression is formed in the rear side of the washer and the engaging male part on the face f of the base. All of the above-described configurations of the opposed surfaces of the base B andthe washer W are alike in that they afford interlocking shoulders between the said parts, by which any lateral movement or axial rotation of the washer when in place upon the base is prevented.

Interposed between the opposed surfaces of the washer W and the base B is the inturning flange s, constituting the bottom or inner end of the shell-terminal S. The latter is formed with a slot s at the bottom and at one side thereof equal in width to that of the male part, by which the washer and base are interlocked, through which slot s the said interlocking male part projects, except in the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, 14 and 15, in which case the washer IV is formed with peripheral shoulders w w', which engage the edges of the slot s', as do the sides of the male interlocking projection in the other forms. In either case the result is that the washer W locks and holds the shell-terminal against axial rotation or lateral movement.

The shell-terminal S has a binding-post s2 rigidly secured to it on the side opposite the slots, the integral connection insuring an absolute and perfect electrical contact between said terminal shell and the circuit- Wire when secured to said post s2.

The inner end of the separate binding-post P is preferably threaded and acts as a nut for the central securing bolt or screw a, although obviously a separate nut may be provided, if desired. In either case the body of the post P rests in a groove w22, formed for its rece tion in the upper or outer surface of the wasl er W, the sides of said groove w22 sustaining the post laterally and centralizing it with relation to the slot s, through which it projects, the width of said post P being sufficiently less than the width of the slot s to properly separate the terminals.

It will be seen that by a comparatively simple and inexpensive construction and arrangement of parts I attain a rigid connection thereof by the use of a single central securing-screw.

Nhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric-plug socket such as designated, the combination of a shell-terminal formed with an inturned flange, a su porting-base of insulating materiaI, a was er of insulating material bearing on said inturned flange of the shell-terminal and interlockin with said base and with said shell-termina and means for securing said parts rigidly in position upon and with relation to each other.

IOO

2. In an electric-plug socket such as designated, the combination of a shell-terminal formed with an inturned flange, a su port ing-base of insulating materia a was er of insulating material bearing on said inturned flange of the shell-terminal, and interlocking with said base and with said shell-terminal, and a central screw extending through and binding the said parts rigidly together for the purpose described.

3. In an electric-plug socket such as designated, the combination of a shell-terminal formed with a binding-post integral therewith and with an inturned flange, a supporting-base of insulating material, a washer of insulating material bearing on said inturned flange and interlocking with said base and with said shell-terminal, a terminal post seated on said washer, and a central screw eX- tending throu h the said base, the inturned liange of the s ell-terminal7 the washer and said last-named terminal post, and securing said parts rigidly together, for the purpose described.

4. In an electric-plug socket such as designated, the combination of a shell-terminal formed with a binding-post integral therewith and with an inturned flange, a supporting-base of insulating material, a Washer of insulating material bearing on said inturned ilange and interlocking with said base and with said shell-terminaL a terminal post seat-v ed on said washer, and a central screw eX- tending through the said base, the said inturned iiange of the shell-terminal and the said washer and engaging with a female screw-thread formed in the last-named terminal post whereby the parts are secured rigidly together.

5. In an electric-plug socket such as designated, the combination of a shell-terminal formed with a binding-post integral therewith and with a slotted bottom and side, a supporting-base, a washer of insulating material bearing on the slotted bottom of the shell-terminal and formed With shoulders which engage the edges of the slot in said terminal shell, said washer being also formed with one or more shoulders engaging coinciding shoulders formed on the base, a terminal post seated on said washer, and a central screw extending throu h the base, the slotted bottom of the Shel-terminal, the washer and the terminal post, and securing the said parts rigidly together, for the purpose described.

' FRANK J. RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

D. W. GARDNER, GEO. WM. MIATT. 

